As the mass hunger strike involving around 800 people on Manus Island enters its 12th day, solidarity with the asylum seekers is spreading around the globe. Protests have already taken place in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Perth and New York. In coming days there will be protests in Boston, Berlin, Brussels, and Cambridge.

‘The violent raids against people too weak to move, the mass imprisonment of hunger strikers, and removal of those targeted as leaders to the Chauka punishment unit has not diminished the cry for freedom. Forced transfers to Lorengau have not occured as a result of the mass hunger strike. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton must now arrange safe and permanent resettlement for refugees currently on Manus Island.Manus must be shut and the asylum seekers and refugees brought to Australia.’ said Chris Breen for the Refugee Action Collective

One Comment

Dian TangeyJan 26, 2015 @ 21:50:16

I am heartened by the news that people outside Australia are now joining the fight against the horrific treatment of asylum seekers in my country. Since the Abbott Govt was elected there has been an escalation of the increasingly brutal attacks on men, women and children, even on babies born in Australia. These attacks range from physical to mental resulting in the death of two men and mental illness in hundreds of prisoners held by the Abbott Gov’t. In spite of continual requests for information and access to these prisoners this information and access has been denied by the Liberal Government. As a sixth generational Australian I feel deeply ashamed of the treatment meted out to refugees. Asylum seekers have continually portrayed by Tony Abbott and his Ministers as “illegals” a term which is a lie. These people have every right to claim refuge as they are escaping from countries wracked by war and terrorism. Please support our efforts to stop the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers in Australia. We need your help to stop this madness.